The Museum of Russian Icons

The Museum of Icon Art mainly focuses on introducing the culture of the Old Believers, but it also gives a good overview of Russian Orthodox icons.

There are more than 300 Russian icons dating from the 15th century to the first third of the 20th century in the exposition. You can see the works of the icon writers of the local Old Believers (Frolov, Sontsev, Safronov, Myznikov) as well as those who supplied icons to the Russian tsar’s family (Pesehhonov, Marozov). Seeing the icons of the Old Believers and the Russian Orthodox side-by-side really highlights their differences. The icons originate from different collectors and have mostly been purchased at auctions.

In addition to the icons, the museum also has a diverse exhibition of the written word of the Old Believers, both in the shape of manuscripts and religious engravings.